Leaking bottling valve

[Tricky Micky]

Is it normal for the Coopers kit supplied bottling valve to leak? I mean drip continuously in between filling bottles.

[kmar92]

Yep. Drips are normal but if it is flowing wiggle the valve a little. Bottling is usually messy.

[iBooz2]

@mickep Yes most of the cheap bottling valves drip although that being said mine is ripper and might only drip very slightly between bottles.

TIP: Get yourself some 8 mm OD beer line to extend it and give you much more flexibility.  You can cut a small section off the Coopers bottling wand tube, say 50 mm and use it by pushing it onto the tap end of the beer line, this end will get pushed up into your FV tap.  Push the remainder of the wand tube (the bottling valve end) onto the other end of you beer line.  You now have a flexible bottle filler which connects to both, the FV tap and you still have your bottling wand / valve to make use of.  Then get yourself a small clean bucket of suitable size so that the empty bottles stand upright and support each other (refer method below) or one of those 5 L handy pail from Bunnings like I have which is perfect.

You can sit 3 x 740 ml PET bottles in the 5 L handy pail, have it below the FV but up high enough on a box or something so you do not have to bend over.  Fill the first bottle and leave it in the bucket or pail to stabilize the bucket during the remainder of the bottling operation.  Fill the second bottle, then start filling the third bottle.  While the third bottle is filling lift out bottle number two and put it up on your bench, grab and empty bottle and drop it into the vacant spot in your bucket or pail.  Continue this procedure until all done. 

Doing the bottling this way, the wand and dripping valve has little time to drip as it is quickly moved from bottle to bottle.  Any that does drip ends up in the bucket and not on your floor or shoes.  You could also drink what ends up in the bucket, if any.

Hope that helps.

Cheers - Al

Edited September 18, 2020 by iBooz2

[Tricky Micky]

3 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

@mickep Yes most of the cheap bottling valves drip although that being said mine is ripper and might only drip very slightly between bottles.

TIP: Get yourself some 8 mm OD beer line to extend it and give you much more flexibility.  You can cut a small section off the Coopers bottling wand tube, say 50 mm and use it by pushing it onto the tap end of the beer line, this end will get pushed up into your FV tap.  Push the remainder of the wand tube (the bottling valve end) onto the other end of you beer line.  You now have a flexible bottle filler which connects to both, the FV tap and you still have your bottling wand / valve to make use of.  Then get yourself a small clean bucket of suitable size so that the empty bottles stand upright and support each other (refer method below) or one of those 5 L handy pail from Bunnings like I have which is perfect.

You can sit 3 x 740 ml PET bottles in the 5 L handy pail, have it below the FV but up high enough on a box or something so you do not have to bend over.  Fill the first bottle and leave it in the bucket or pail to stabilize the bucket during the remainder of the bottling operation.  Fill the second bottle, then start filling the third bottle.  While the third bottle is filling lift out bottle number two and put it up on your bench, grab and empty bottle and drop it into the vacant spot in your bucket or pail.  Continue this procedure until all done. 

Doing the bottling this way, the wand and dripping valve has little time to drip as it is quickly moved from bottle to bottle.  Any that does drip ends up in the bucket and not on your floor or shoes.  You could also drink what ends up in the bucket, if any.

Hope that helps.

Cheers - Al

Thanks Al, great tips and hats off for sharing your knowledge.

[Malter White]

9 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

Fill the first bottle and leave it in the bucket or pail to stabilize the bucket during the remainder of the bottling operation.  Fill the second bottle, then start filling the third bottle.  While the third bottle is filling lift out bottle number two and put it up on your bench, grab and empty bottle and drop it into the vacant spot in your bucket or pail.  Continue this procedure until all done. 

Reading this all I could think of was the opening credits of Laverne & Shirley. Hahaa

[Tricky Micky]

Found a small spring which fits in the valve end of the tube. Works a treat, no more leaks.

[YeastyBoy]

My set up for bottling with a wand. BTW was a Stout.

 

No holding bottles just move the wand. The oven tray catches any overflow.

No fuss, bugger all mess. Easy clean up.

Cheers YB

[Tricky Micky]

44 minutes ago, YeastyBoy said:

My set up for bottling with a wand. BTW was a Stout.

 

No holding bottles just move the wand. The oven tray catches any overflow.

No fuss, bugger all mess. Easy clean up.

Cheers YB

That's bloody awesome mate. Thanks for sharing.

[Tricky Micky]

On 9/19/2020 at 5:50 AM, iBooz2 said:

@mickep Yes most of the cheap bottling valves drip although that being said mine is ripper and might only drip very slightly between bottles.

TIP: Get yourself some 8 mm OD beer line to extend it and give you much more flexibility.  You can cut a small section off the Coopers bottling wand tube, say 50 mm and use it by pushing it onto the tap end of the beer line, this end will get pushed up into your FV tap.  Push the remainder of the wand tube (the bottling valve end) onto the other end of you beer line.  You now have a flexible bottle filler which connects to both, the FV tap and you still have your bottling wand / valve to make use of.  Then get yourself a small clean bucket of suitable size so that the empty bottles stand upright and support each other (refer method below) or one of those 5 L handy pail from Bunnings like I have which is perfect.

You can sit 3 x 740 ml PET bottles in the 5 L handy pail, have it below the FV but up high enough on a box or something so you do not have to bend over.  Fill the first bottle and leave it in the bucket or pail to stabilize the bucket during the remainder of the bottling operation.  Fill the second bottle, then start filling the third bottle.  While the third bottle is filling lift out bottle number two and put it up on your bench, grab and empty bottle and drop it into the vacant spot in your bucket or pail.  Continue this procedure until all done. 

Doing the bottling this way, the wand and dripping valve has little time to drip as it is quickly moved from bottle to bottle.  Any that does drip ends up in the bucket and not on your floor or shoes.  You could also drink what ends up in the bucket, if any.

Hope that helps.

Cheers - Al

Hey Al,

TIP: Get yourself some 8 mm OD beer line to extend it and give you much more flexibility.

just trying to confirm the correct measurement of the tubing for the wand. Will the 8mm OD Pope tubing sold at Bunnings allow for that size tube to be inserted into the wand? I think it does just checking.

[Tricky Micky]

15 minutes ago, Mickep said:

Hey Al,

TIP: Get yourself some 8 mm OD beer line to extend it and give you much more flexibility.

just trying to confirm the correct measurement of the tubing for the wand. Will the 8mm OD Pope tubing sold at Bunnings allow for that size tube to be inserted into the wand? I think it does just checking.

Maybe not! Just checked specs of the tube @ bunnings and noticed the 8mm measurement is for the Inside Diameter not outside. Bugger!

[Shamus O'Sean]

7 hours ago, Mickep said:

Maybe not! Just checked specs of the tube @ bunnings and noticed the 8mm measurement is for the Inside Diameter not outside. Bugger!

Also make sure it is food or potable water grade.  The Pope Clear Vinyl Tubing says it is food grade.

8mm OD beer line fits into the Coopers wand nice and snuggly.  I have bigger silicon tube about 15mm OD x 10.5mm ID that fits snuggly over the wand that is about 11mm OD.  I am only using gravity to transfer.

I also have some of the 10mm Pope Clear Vinyl Tubing and it fits over the wand too.  This tube is heavier though and might not be flexible enough for convenient bottling.

Having said all that, I bottle using the wand by itself.

I use the 8mm OD beer line into a 5cm length of wand to fill kegs because this line fits into a 8mm Duotight to MFL connector that screws to a keg beer disconnect.

[tommoe]

On 9/21/2020 at 3:12 AM, Tricky Micky said:

Found a small spring which fits in the valve end of the tube. Works a treat, no more leaks.

what size spring m8 will a spring from another bottling wand fit which i already have cheers m8 (tommoe of durham uk)

[Back Brewing]

5 hours ago, tommoe said:

what size spring m8 will a spring from another bottling wand fit which i already have cheers m8 (tommoe of durham uk)

I reckon they would be the same no harm in trying 

[Tricky Micky]

5 hours ago, tommoe said:

what size spring m8 will a spring from another bottling wand fit which i already have cheers m8 (tommoe of durham uk)

That's what I did - used a spring from a bottling wand made by a different manufacturer - I can't recall the brands but there was a difference in the size of the valves and the springs IIRCC. Anyway when I put the slightly larger spring into the smaller valve it seemed to work a treat and stopped all the leaking.

Edited February 16 by Tricky Micky

[Oldbloke]

On 9/21/2020 at 4:05 PM, YeastyBoy said:

My set up for bottling with a wand. BTW was a Stout.

 

No holding bottles just move the wand. The oven tray catches any overflow.

No fuss, bugger all mess. Easy clean up.

Cheers YB

I do much same. Except the barrel sits on a milk crate on my bench. Then the bottles are on the bench. No bending, works fine.

 

I use same tap as yeastboy and 1/2" clear plastic tube that fits just nice over the tap outlet. Bunnings sell the tube but their expensive.  I get mine from a joint that sells agricultural water pumps and fittings.